Guest:  Elsa Hernandez

Topic:  Medicaid Application Assistance Program

Duration:  5:33

Published:  March 25, 2021

Host:  Welcome to Independent Perspective, a public affairs presentation of Western New York Independent Living. Our guest today is Elsa Hernandez, Program Coordinator of the Medicaid Application Assistance Program and your host is yours truly Ernie Churchwell. Welcome to the program Elsa.

Guest:  Thank you.

Host:  We find that your program is of particular value to a great number of people especially those who are not presently possessing health insurance. So, the first logical question is the Medicaid Application Assistance Program, who is it designed to help?

Guest:  It is designed to help those individuals who are over the age of 65, and those that are blind, that are actually certified blind by the Commission of the Blind, and those who are disabled and obviously they need to be deemed disabled by the Social Security administration.

Host:  Alright so you have multiple populations that you're serving what's the first step that you do to help them get on the road to health insurance?

Guest:  What we do once the individual calls into the office our customer service representative does a quick intake on the person and sets them up with an appointment to meet with a Facilitated Enroller. For those that don't know, Facilitated Enroller (FE) is a professional who will assist the applicant in filling out the Medicaid application and the Sup A application. So, they collect all the documents needed in order to complete the Medicaid application. They also submit the application to the Department of Social Services on behalf of the individual. The FE normally meets the consumer at their home but since COVID we have been doing the enrollments over the phone. Once the enrollment is done the FE will then mail or drop off the applications to the consumer for them to sign and once it has been signed the consumer will then call the FE back to pick up the application documents or mail them to our office.

Host:  So the Facilitated Enrollers follow the whole process and sees that they have all the tools they needed for the application, the paperwork is properly filed, connections are made so that they get the insurance while they're in this process. Do they occasionally discover that there are others services provided by Western New York Independent Living that could benefit them and there's a collaboration between the facilitated enroller and other staff people?

Guest: Absolutely, once they call us and they tell us what the problem is, what problems they're having, if there's another program within our agency that could help them, we do an internal referral to that program and send over the proper information so they can call them and handle that issue.

Host:  And I believe that you have colleagues at MAAP not only in our Buffalo office but in our other offices as well correct?

Guest:  We do, we actually serve 14 counties including our family of agencies and so we have facilitated enrollers in Independent Living Center of Niagara County which obviously serves Niagara County. We also have an office here in ILC which serves Erie county. ILGR Independent Living of the Genesee Region services Wyoming, Genesee and Orleans counties. And we also have subcontractors. So, we have Southwestern Independent Living Center at Chautauqua. Directions and Independent Living Services of Cattaraugus and Allegheny. Maximizing Independent Living Center in Jefferson, St Lawrence, Franklin, and Lewis counties. And also, North Country Center for Independent Living and they service Essex and Clinton.

Host:  My goodness, I knew that Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Services that helps people get homecare aids covered that kind of territory, but I had no idea that MAAP did as well. Believe it or not we're coming near the end of our time together and I'm sure people will have additional questions on your program and what it can do for them. How can they reach you?

Guest:  So if anybody is interested in applying for Medicaid or knows anyone that needs to apply and meets our criteria they can call me at my extension here at Western New York Independent Living 716-836-0822 extension 130 or they can call Betsy who is a Customer Service Representative at 716-836-0822 extension 517.

Host:  Thanks so much for being with us Elsa.

Guest:  Thank you.

Host:  You've been listening to Independent Perspective, a public affairs presentation of Western New York Independent Living. Our guest today has been Elsa Hernandez, Program Coordinator of the Medicaid Application Assistance Program and your host has been yours truly Ernie Churchwell.